Not So Normal Friends After All
by Darkyu
Summary: When people told Steve that dating Tony Stark was going to be a challenge, he didn't quite imagine it wouldn't be because of Tony at all. It was the unexpected over-protectiveness of Tony's loved ones that made the whole challenge itself. Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Overprotective!Friends, 'If you hurt him I'll kill you' speech.


**And I'm back with another completely different fandom! I've been in love with this couple since forever and I've finally decided to write something about them. This is part of a series that I'll try to write regularly if my job gives me the chance. It doesn't have a beta so it probably has a lot of spelling and grammatical mistakes. If you found some, I'd be eternally grateful if you point them to me. ****This is the IMPROVED version, but I still don't trust my English enough, though.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Whoever Thought That Tony Stark Was Friendless Is Sorely Mistaken.**

Not So Normal Friends After All

It wasn't a surprise when Steve Rogers realized soon enough that Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes had some kind of problem with him. It wasn't a secret either, or at least the Colonel didn't waste much effort in trying to hide it whenever he was anywhere near Steve.

Steve had suspected that Rhodes' dislike for him was probably funded more in a superficial nature and therefore, Steve didn't deem it necessary of a lot of exploring nor reflecting. Besides, the super soldier had talked to the man barely a handful of times for no more than a few minutes. Even in those extremely bizarre occasions, they have only managed to talk about Avenger's business and nothing else. And not because of Steve's lack of trying.

For Steve it has always been clear that Rhodes was a military man and that meant that he most likely tended to appreciate practicality and straight-to-the-point. For Steve, though, the discomfort that he felt was in the way the colonel went out of his route with the clear intention of looking at him in this undecipherable way every time Steve opened his mouth for the sake of small talk.

Steve was a soldier himself, so he knew how hostile some fellow soldiers could get over a misunderstanding of some sort, except Steve was trying very hard to think about a moment when something like that could have happened, however the results always came out without a single clue popping up in his mind because, once again, he really just talked to the man about the Avengers… and maybe Tony.

Tony was probably the only reason this whole thing was bothering him considering that he wouldn't normally give a darn for how people that he barely knew felt about him. Except this was Tony's best friend; one of the very few people that had stood by Tony's side through every hardships he'd encountered. Before the Avengers, of course.

And it came like a slap on the face.

The sudden realization of the reason behind the latent resentment directed his way by the colonel was bound to happen sometime, he knew that. What surprised and embarrassed him was that it took him so long to figure it out.

"Rhodey, say something!" Tony demanded excitedly, but Steve could hear the nervousness in his voice.

"So you guys are dating now." Rhodes deadpanned. It were moments like this, with a look like the one being currently being directed at him, that Steve wondered if Tony suspected his best friend's dislike of Steve.

Probably not, considering what it took Steve to make his lover believe that he was in their relationship for the long run and that Tony actually deserved to be happy with someone he loved.

"Yes." Steve stated while determinedly resisted to avert his eyes from Rhodes' who was staring, or scowling, at him without blinking. Steve thought it was important the eye contact, especially after finally realizing that the Colonel's problem with him was probably because he didn't like sharing. The stare only got worse when Tony put his arms around Steve's waist as if he wouldn't let go no matter what.

"Isn't that great, man?" Tony prompted squeezing Steve a little. "I think I can finally go steady. Well, if that's what Cap wants, of course."

Steve did anything in his power to ignore the now evident frown that was now on Rhodes' face in order to turn to look at Tony's earnest expression to answer truthfully, "I couldn't want anything more."

"Okay, okay, I got it. Please stop being so cheesy in front of me, man. You're freaking me out." The change of expression and tone were pretty evident when his eyes were redirected to Tony, who was now letting him go with a grin on his face dedicated to his friend. "I think it's great, Tony, really." The acid undertones could be heard easily by Steve's enhanced hearing.

Tony and the colonel were now dude-hugging. It would be a beautiful thing if it wasn't for the fact that Rhodes wasn't paying Tony much attention but for the way that the military man's arms tightened around _Steve's_ boyfriend in what he would call a possessive grip. He was concentrating more in glaring at the super soldier in full hatred mode, though.

What made Steve finally glare right back was the way that Rhodes refused to let Tony go when his lover declared that it was too much hugging for a lifetime and that he needed to breathe.

"Now how's the cheesy one?" Tony teased when he relaxed again in his best friend's arms. "Really, Rhodey, this is good for me. Steve is good for me."

As Rhodes finally relented the crushing hug in order to look at Tony at arm length, the deathly glare turned in a soft stare (Steve could bet it was a rare sight on Rhodes). If Steve didn't understand right at that moment that Rhodes cared and felt responsible for Tony, then what he said next made it perfectly clear.

"I just want you to be happy, Tony. I hope you get that through your thick skull." He declared slowly while slapping him lightly on said skull. The way he said it implied that he didn't want any confusion for his words for anyone present. "And I would support you no matter what, man. That's why I'm here for, you know?"

"I do." Tony affirmed in a soft voice. And that was a tone he knew from experience that it was reserved for very few people. Thank God that Steve was included in that exclusive group because if he wasn't, he'd feel a little left out. A little _more_ left out than he felt right now. Probably even jealous. Which he wasn't. Really. "I'm here for you as well, Rhodey, even if I suck at showing it."

"You're better than you think, though. But I'm not defending you to yourself; I have to do enough of that for you in front of other people." He revealed playful. "You certainly are unpopular around the wrong crowd."

"Probably just ass-clowns. You don't need to worry about them, most people loves me. I'm really loveable, ask Steve."

"Tony, it would be a really freaky day when I don't spend at least five minutes worrying about what idiocy you decided to do each day." Rhodes went ignoring Tony's last words. Steve didn't want to get into early conclusions, but he couldn't help but feeling that the quick response was probably a way of telling Steve to 'back the hell off' from the conversation. And by conversation Steve meant Tony. "Besides, _civilians_ love you, that's good for a fan club, Tones, but useless for things that _do_ matter."

"Hey, my fan club can be awesome! At a safe distance, of course. They pulled me out of prison once." At Steve's incredulous _'what?!'_ Tony continued in a rush. "_Besides_, you said that you worry, but you rarely call me." He stated with fake-resentment, eyes dancing.

"I don't need to, I have Pepper to reassure me that you have indeed done something stupid every day without summiting myself to your bullshit."

"I'm hurt!" Tony exclaimed while making an exaggerated grab of his arc reactor. Steve couldn't help but chuckle at his lover's antics."That's just mean, using Pepper for your stalker ways."

"Whatever keeps my mind at ease." Rhodes finished ruffling Tony's hair just to spite him. "How about that coffee you offered just before you detonated that bomb-of-news on my face?"

"Yeah, excuse my babbling. It was because I give a damn about your opinion." Tony muttered while trying to tame his hair once again. "I'll go get the freaking coffee." He announced louder, heading for the kitchen.

When Steve made a move to go after him, praying that Rhodes had already forgotten he was in the room, a firm hand on his shoulder that probably meant to hurt him a little –if not for the super soldier serum it probably would have– stopped him right on his track. No sudden invisibility today, it seemed.

"Captain Rogers, a word?"War Machine asked when Steve turned to face him with a raised eyebrow. The tone that was reserved for him was back; dark, threatening, full of promise of a painful death.

Not that Captain America was going to cower before it. "Sure, what's up?"

"You are up." Rhodes stated. And was that anger that Steve was sensing? "Look Rogers, I don't think I have a lot of time so I'll cut the crap. I don't know what your intentions are, but let's get this clear–"

"My intentions?" Steve asked insulted. The colonel may dislike him all he wants, but he wouldn't let him dive into conclusions, that sounded more like accusations, just because he possibly thought that he was stealing Tony away. "Who are you to question my intentions?"

"I'm Tony's best friend. I've been there with him through it all, Captain; his loneliness, his drinking problems, his parents passing away, the fucking rapist-,

"Rapist?!"

"Obadiah Stane, Justin Hammer, Pepper's brake up, even his eternal playboy ways-"

Steve was getting angry at being ignored. Even though he knew about most of the points Rhodes was trying to pull, and was aware of their length in veracity, the one that had disturbed him the most was the one that he didn't know anything at all. Just thinking of someone taking Tony like that…

He took a calming breath, if Steve wanted to get to detail of the rapist situation, he wanted Tony to explain it to Steve himself. The last one, though, the 'playboy ways', he **had** already talked with Tony about it and he really didn't appreciate Rhodes was referring to it as it was something that Tony wouldn't change. It was as if he was trying to say something to him that Steve didn't appreciate. "What are you impl-"

"Of course you wouldn't know about all of that, because you just got your ass unfrozen and barged into Tony's life with the porpoise of being suddenly busy making him miserable for over half a year."

Steve felt that like a good punch in his gut. He thought that he understood Rhodes' resentment towards him. He thought it was a simple _'Get off my little Tony 'cause I'm his best friend and I look after him'_ situation. He had been wrong. Rhodes didn't like him because of the way he made Tony feel the first few months when they were fighting over every single thing just to find a way to make the other feel bad.

It hurt even more the realization that they hadn't really talked about it. That Steve didn't know if Tony'd forgiven him for judging him just for not being like his father when it was clear that he was so much more.

"And now is all better and you love each other? Don't make me laugh," Rhodes continued with a tone full of skepticism. "I know that Tony really cares for you and that's the only reason you're still alive, Rogers. I know you're not that dumb and you can see how much Tony would do for you, so cut the crap and make your intentions clear because I'm not buying your fucking lovey-dovey stunt."

"Hey, listen here," No more _getting_ _angry_. Now Steve was royally _**pissed**_. His voice low and dark. "I don't give a darn who you think-"

"Hey, guys, coffee is ready…" just when Steve wanted to make Rhodes understand by shaking him a little or perhaps a punch here and there, Tony came with three cups of coffee. It seemed that the atmosphere was so suffocating that even Tony caught something. "Everything alright over here?"

"Of course, dumbass, now hand me that cup 'cause I haven't had a decent cup of coffee in a while." and just like that, Rhodes was his usual around Tony and Steve couldn't stop regretting that he had just lost a battle to the colonel. He comforted himself with the determination of making this whole conversation round one; he definitely had not lost the war.

At least Rhodes wouldn't interfere with Tony's love life more than this.

Right?

Jan thought he was crazy. As in _completely_ crazy.

Why? She thought that Steve was simply nuts for thinking that Colonel Rhodes, as Tony's best friend, wouldn't get into their love lives.

"Really, Steve," she said as if she had to explain something really simple to a slow kid. "don't you know that the first step to a relationship free of rocks in your path is ALWAYS make sure that the best friend likes you?!"

"How so?"

"You're kidding, right?" when she saw the honest confusion on Steve face, she left an exasperated sigh leave her mouth. "Have you ever heard of 'Boyfriends come and go, friends are forever', more commonly known as 'bro's before ho's'? No? Right. Well, something that changed a lot since de 40's would be the appreciation of friends, especially when divorces started to be so common it hurts. People realized that your friends stick with you no matter what and a relationship can end with a stupid quarrel."

"That's certainly not true." Steve refused to believe that the way Janet thought that people these days saw commitment was anywhere true. Especially when they were so open-minded about a lot of stuff nowadays. "Tony and I fight every now and then and we are perfectly fine."

"Well, yes. That's what mature relationships are about, but you do realize that if you left it to Tony to fix your arguments, you'd have already broken up, right?"

That was _mostly_ true. Steve knew that Tony wasn't as bad at relationships as what people would probably expect of him, given his reputation. Though, Steve was happy when he'd came to realize that if you put all the insecurities and awful self-esteem issues behind, he was actually pretty good at it.

They _did_ struggle a lot when all of this started, but Steve was never one to give up on the few worthy things that crashed into his life and he was glad that he never gave up on Tony. The genius was starting to get better by the day at the 'relationship stuff', as he called it.

He still remembered their first argument when Tony had thought that fighting over his lack of his self-preservation instinct warranted a break up. Steve had never laughed that hard. Then they'd had a lot of make-up-sex.

"Steve Rogers, stop thinking perverted things and focus!" Jan nagged him and Steve realized that he had spaced out a little.

"Sorry, Jan. What were you saying?" He was honestly sorry; Jan was just trying to help.

"You were thinking about make-up-sex, weren't you?" asked Jan with a huge grin. Steve sometimes forgot that it was dangerous to display any form of affection towards Tony in front of the little, devious woman, even if Tony wasn't around; she seemed to be over-interested in their relationship. Tony suspected that she was taking pictures of them making out and selling them on the internet to the highest bidder.

At Steve's fidgeting and evident blushing, Jan decided to spare him a little embarrassment and continued with the important topic. "Anyway, for someone like Tony, Rhodes opinion of you is very important. If Rhodey dislikes you, the colonel may find a way to try to persuade Tony to move to something 'better for him'" she finished with air quotes.

"I don't think that Colonel Rhodes would do something like that."

"Normally, I would agree. But this is _Tony_ we are talking about here, Steve." Suddenly, Janet was completely serious. "I mean, if we are protective of him, can you imagine someone who has been with him through all of Tony's problems since they were like, sixteen?"

"You are right; he mentioned something like that."

"'Cause I'm never wrong." Agreed Janet, "Now, you have to stop believing that it doesn't matter. Tony is never going to leave you, Steve, you know that, but it means a lot to him for you two get along with his most treasured friends, and since you're already in the good side of all the members of the Avengers, you got it easy."

"You're probably right, Jan, I would probably like Tony to get along with Bucky. But I don't know what to do to make him like me." Steve confessed. "He was pretty clear on his distaste for me, and it's not like he even let me defend myself."

"Then maybe you should talk to him." Jan suggested putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Clear things up."

"Yeah, it really is something important to Tony." Steve added thoughtful. "He was really nervous when he told me he thought it was time for him to tell Rhodes about us."

"More than how he was when you were going to tell us?" asked Jan bemused. Tony had almost passed out when she'd lecherously asked him in the middle of movie night about the Stark-sounding-moans coming from his room the night before. When Tony had refused to answer her while Steve was a speechless-blushing mess, she'd told them she already knew everything and that she'd had a lot of proof to back her up so they should probably stop trying to hide it.

After that they'd been forced to come out clean with the whole team. Ever since, Tony's been afraid of Jan's lecherous smirk whilst Steve had made her the person to-go-to when he had relationship problems.

"Definitely. But only before Rhodes got here, then he handled it pretty good."

"Damn it!" she swore, "I would have loved to be there!" Steve chuckled in response.

"So, should I give him a call?"

"Sure thing!"

Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes answered the phone at the first ring. His voice tight and sharp.

_"What's wrong with Tony?"_ he demanded.

Steve needed a few seconds to process the question and try not to stutter when he answered. "Nothing, I was-"

_"Then what do you want, Captain? I'm in the middle of something important."_

"I was just thinking that maybe we started with the wrong-"

_"Captain, cut the bullshit. What do you want? I don't have time for your babbling."_

Despite Steve's effort of draining his quickly growing anger with a quiet sigh, he found that he couldn't let anyone talk to him like that. Not even his lover's best friend. "You're being rude without a cause, colonel, I would suggest for you to-"

_"So I'm judging without knowing? Is that what you're saying? I feel like I'm getting this from the wrong person, Rogers."_

Steve was now seeing red. He knew what exactly the Colonel was bluntly hinting about; he could almost see Tony in front of him calling him a laboratory experiment just after he told him in lot of words how he was such a _failure_.

And he felt guilty enough for someone who hadn't even been there to add to it.

"So this is what this is all about to you? You're pulling the 'an eye for an eye' game here? This isn't a game, Rhodes, this is about Tony and-"

_"And for once we agree on something; this_**_is_**_about Tony and how you're just an asshole who thinks he's better than anyone for pulling Tony through his bad habits with great sex. He's not a charity case, Rogers. Find someone else to pity on because Tony Stark is a great man who deserves to be loved the way he is."_

"How dare you assume-!"

And before the whole sentence leaved his mouth, Steve could hear the constant bip of his phone's line indicating the dead line.

He hung up on him.

Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes just hung up on Steve leaving him with the word in his mouth. Again.

Now Steve had to ask Tony for a new phone. It had been a while since he had felt so damn frustrated and the poor technological thing now laid spread out all over the floor where it'd crashed loudly. And he was just starting to get a grip on the texting and on the saving contacts. The idea of struggling with new, unknown phone just made him, if possible, more irritated.

"Steve?" the familiar voice calling him from the doorframe of their room made him relax at least a little. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Steve lied taking a long calming breath. Tony approached him carefully and put both of his hand soothingly on his shoulders. The brunette was searching for his eyes in an attempt to read the blonde better.

Steve hadn't realized before that he was on his feet with his hands tightly curled in fists, ready to punch something into another dimension where not even Reed would find it, instead of sitting on his bed as he originally started when he initiated the call.

"Of course you are," the genius conceded sarcastically eyeing the destroyed device. "I can even see the wonderful piece of art you were trying to create with the wall, the floor and the newest Starkphone. Very modern, let me tell you."

"Sorry." He whispered sincerely, soothed by Tony's touch and sarcasm when once upon a time it would've surely triggered another fight.

"What happened?" Tony inquired gently while running his hands slowly up and down over Steve's arms, same arms that found comfort by rounding Tony's slim waist. "You seem really frustrated, and don't you try to deny it because that's my normal state and I can recognize it from miles away."

"I would think your normal state would be something between _loud_ and _stubborn_." He teased with a little smile.

"Now, that's just mean. I can be perfectly quiet and submissive when I want to be." Tony stated with fake-indignation.

"If you're talking about sex, and you always are, then I would totally discard the quiet thing. It's simply not possible for you." Steve replayed pulling Tony closer to hug him completely, tucking his lover's face under Steve's strong jaw. His lover's hands adjusted to the new position and were transferred to Steve's back, resuming their soothing spell in the form of lazy circles. "I really love the way you are noisy in bed. You know that, right?"

At Steve's question, Tony pulled back a little so he could cup the blonde's cheek with one hand and force him to look Tony straight into his eyes. "Steve, what's wrong?"

"I just want you to know that." Steve lied smoothly. But maybe not so much considering the skeptical look he was receiving from Tony.

For one instant there, he wanted to ask about the so called rapist. It was something that had been nagging him since it came out of Rhodes' mouth. But considering the urge of shaking answers out of his lover so he could hunt down the responsible and make them pay dearly, he decided, for the sake of avoiding a big argument, to voice his other concern instead: "I never apologized for the things I called you when we met." He confessed finally.

"What?" Tony now looked confused. "Is that what's been bothering you? Why? That was like years ago."

"I just realized that we never really talked about it."

"Well, I thought it wasn't necessary considering that I wasn't a defenseless victim enduring your evil harassment since I was striking right back at you, Steve. We are both guilty."

"But I started it," Steve accepted in a whisper. "I made you feel miserable for a while and you didn't deserve it."

"How did you…?" Tony tried to ask, surprise reflected in his eyes. Steve could even recognize the hint of anger hidden in the depth of his dark-blue orbs. Tony was now pushing against his chest trying to make Steve let go so he could create some distance between them, except that Steve didn't let him; he knew that Tony was more prone to get mad at him when he was out of his arms and the blonde simply didn't feel like letting go, anyway. In addition, Steve really wanted all of this sorted out as soon as possible.

As if suddenly turning on a really bright light, Tony looked sharply at Steve as if he understood everything that was happening in his mind.

"Is this about _Rhodey_?" he asked hitting the nail head on. At least he'd stopped trying to get away in favor of what seemed to be headed to a bad-cop-interrogation. "Did he say something to you?"

Steve then realized that the anger wasn't directed at him. At least not entirely.

Even if Rhodes frustrated him big time, it would be unfair to get him in trouble with Tony over the phone call that Steve had initiated. Besides, like hell would he go to his lover to _tell on_ the guy for insulting him and 'hurting his feelings'. He would rather have another pleasant chat with the colonel.

"No. We were just talking and he was just… We were just talking about-"

"Steve, stop right there. You're a horrible liar. Really, I know that Captain America isn't expected to lie and all that, but seeing you try is painful." Tony stated, cutting his stuttering. "What did Rhodey say to you?"

At Steve silence, Tony scowled a little in suspicion. "Don't worry; you don't have to tell me, we had a discussion about you a few days after we told him about us, so I can easily guess."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I asked him what the hell did he do to make you punch your way through all my sandbags the day he came over. I had a vested interest in asking, you see, especially considering that we had about fifty of them, and you had to sweep the sand all night leaving me all alone in bed. You're making the people who sell me all the boxing equipment quite happy, Steve."

"Sorry." He apologized regretfully. He really did feel bad when Tony had to buy stuff because he broke them; he had enough to repair because of Bruce hulking out as it was. At Tony's wave of dismissal, he inquired, "So? What did he tell you when you asked?"

"He was pissed that I was going out with a national icon that 'probably just have a crush on me'. I told him that his lack of faith in me was insulting." He scoffed. "I can't believe that he actually told you directly to leave me alone or something. I was pretty clear when I told him to leave you alone."

It was something in the wording of the last phraise that had Steve understanding just how important Rhodes was to Tony. No 'fuck off!', nor 'go stick your nose wherever it's your business', not even 'leave _**us**_ alone'. Just, to leave _**him**_ alone.

"But what did he tell you exactly for you to be this angry? I'm thinking that was a really nice phone, so _now_ you have to tell me," his lover asked him with clear indignation on his behalf and Steve thought that was adorable. "Did he call you?"

"No, I called him." Steve confessed which made Tony blink his eyes in surprise. "Yeah, I asked JARVIS his mobile phone number, but apparently he already had mine because he knew it was me the moment he answered."

"**You** _called_ him? You called him to his _personal_ phone?!" Tony asked like he couldn't believe his idiocy. "Do you have a death wish or something?!"

"What?" Steve asked naively, not understanding what the big fuss was over. "I thought that we could fix things. Maybe start again?"

"Steve, judging by the way you ended up breaking half the gym's equipment (shut up! The sandbags _are_ half the gym's equipment!), and the way you pulverized your unbreakable Starkphone, I can assume that he didn't like your call."

"Well, I had to try." Steve insisted.

"And you did," His lover agreed gratefully. "And I know you did it for me, so I'm really happy to have someone like you with me, but if you think I'm hardheaded, then that's because you don't know Rhodey at all.

"He'll come around with time, Steve. With a _lot_ of time, frankly, but let it go for now."

"Tony," Steve in a persuasive tone, "I know this is very important to you. Maybe I should try one more time?"

"Seriously, Steve, let it go. So what if my best friend doesn't like you? I love you and that's what it's important, right?" he finished his statement with a chaste kiss on Steve's lips and a good grope of his ass.

"Right."

Steve, being Captain America and all, wasn't convinced that was the end despite the finality in Tony's voice, though. Instead, he gave Tony a well planted kiss and before it could turn to a passionate one, he pulled back and continued with the topic at hand.

"Tony, what did you tell Rhodes about me for him to dislike me so much?" Steve really wanted to know what had warranted such hostility towards him. At Tony's guilty expression, Steve decided to reassure him before his lover had time to turn his obvious thoughts of 'Danger! I gotta go!' into action. "Not that I blame you, Tony, you know I don't; I just want to know before I face him again."

At Tony's obvious reluctance, Steve thought the worse, but really, he couldn't feel hurt about it since he complained about Tony a lot in those days, too. "Please, I'm going to have to meet him eventually." He added.

"But you have to remember that I was just angry and I didn't really know you and it–" Tony started in a rush.

"Tony, I know. Just tell me." Steve asked taking both of his hands in between his big ones, his thumbs massaging the back of his lover's hands.

"Fine!" he exclaimed loudly with resignation. "I told him you're nothing but a charade, that the instance you got out of the ice you decided that you were too much for this world but you were going to grant us the _favor_ of your presence by ordering us around; that I couldn't stop seeing you as a brainless gorilla wrapped in a flag and couldn't picture myself following you anywhere."

"…Well, that wasn't so bad." By that, Steve meant _'Ouch!'_. But still, it didn't sound personal enough for the Colonel to hate him.

"And then I kindda ruined it when I got really drunk with Rhodey and just couldn't stop _talking_." Tony confessed in a lower tone. "I told him that you thought that I was nothing like my dad and that I never will be; I said to him that everytime you looked at me I could feel you searching for someone who wasn't there and you'd just get mad about it.

"I said to him that you'd insinuated that I was nothing but a spoiled brat who made himself an expensive toy in order to cure some of my boredom; that you told me that I just fought for myself and didn't give a damn about anyone else and that I should stop acting like a hero because I was too selfish to ever become one."

"… Tony." Steve couldn't feel guiltier, especially because he _knew_ that some of that was right; he had looked at Tony expecting him to fill a void within Steve than no one else could for being the only remote connection to his past. The impossible expectations and the disappointment he felt when he believed that Tony only fought for himself. "Oh my God, Tony, I'm so sorry."

"Hey, you shouldn't be. Stop looking at me like that, Steve." Steve knew he meant the pained face he was probably pulling right now. "I called you a brainless gorilla wrapped in a flag. I think we're even."

But they would never be even because Steve knew that Tony not only surpassed all his expectations, but he really _did_ fill the void within him in an entirely different, unexpected way. That was something he wouldn't ever be able to repay.

And just like that, a pair of lips were seeking his own in order to cheer him up. Steve allowed himself to let go off Tony's hands in order to cradle one of his lover's cheek with his left while the right went around his waist and pulled him impossibly closer.

After what felt like a moment that Steve didn't want to end, Tony broke the kiss too soon in order to look him in the eyes.

"Besides, this isn't about me and my daddy issues." Tony clarified with a smug look probably at Steve's lusty face. His lover's arms around his shoulders left Steve wondering how they got there. "We get enough of that."

"True." He teased with a smile. "So let's get to the part that started all of this: What was the Colonel's response to _that_?"

"Okay, his part I'm gonna make a small polite resume from." Tony announced warily. Steve could tell that he wasn't going to like it. "He said that you were nothing but a big asshole that didn't read the files before judging me and that your ego got to the point where you couldn't see beyond your 'greatness' and that you should shut the fuck up when you didn't know shit."

"And that was the resume." Steve knew that Tony was probably molding whole phrases for the sake of his anger. Steve considered the words rude even diluted like that.

"He was just upset because he was the one who found me almost death in the desert, Steve." Tony stated, trying to defend his friend a little. "He was pretty upset that you thought that the suit was some kind of toy for my entertainment when I built it to escape a facility where I was being tortured for kicks. I guess he took it personal."

"Well, I probably deserved that," Steve agreed with a wince when his mind started running all kind of scenarios of Tony being tortured and dying in the dessert. Accepting it didn't mean that it had to make him feel any better, though.

"He's just trying to be a good friend and look after me, you know that, right?" Tony asked hopefully. Steve couldn't help but feel worse at how blind he had been to be unable to see such an amazing person as the one standing before him; even when trying to please Steve by telling him what he wanted to know, he would still show loyalty to his best friend trying at the same time to defend his actions. He was still trying to make Steve understand how much Rhodes meant to him.

"Of course," he conceded easily. "I feel like I own him a lot considering that looking after _**you**__,_ of all people, tend to be an almost impossible task."

"Hey! I resent that!" Tony complained while playfully trying to push him away. Steve only held on tighter regaining his smile. "I'm a perfectly pliable person when I want to be."

"I agree," Steve conceded easily with a snort, "Then again, that is only when you absolutely _want_ to. But I've never seen you want to be 'pliable' outside the bedroom."

"And you said _I'm_ the one who can't keep his mind out of the gutter." Tony teased while trying to make his smirk look like a sweet smile and failing horribly. The brunette was now running his hand all over his chest with obviously faked innocence.

"Well… Since I seem to be incapable of thinking of nothing but 'the gutter'…" Steve lifted Tony bridal-style, who totally shrieked in surprise. Steve didn't give him time to react as he threw him almost immediately to the bed, making him land perfectly on the middle before he could protest the 'princess treatment', as he called it. Super aim did come useful in a lot of different ways. "Why don't we give it a try?" he asked while crawling over to Tony, positioning himself between expecting legs.

"See? This is why I get confused when people ask me if you're any shy in the sack." Tony joked and pulled him down for a mind-blowing kiss.

Steve responded in kindly. He decided to stop it after a while when he noticed that there were too many clothes between them.

When he caught sight of the arc reactor, he couldn't help but halt his clothes-removing-actions and kiss tenderly around it, just like the first time they'd made love. This artifact was the reason Tony's heart was still beating and he couldn't be more grateful for its existence.

Used to listen to the faraway whisper that was his conscience, Steve couldn't help but recognize its voice reminding him that if Rhodes hadn't found Tony in that dessert in the middle of nowhere, he wouldn't be kissing the best thing that's ever happened to him in that moment.

He was so screwed.

* * *

"He said WHAT?!"

"He thinks I'm scum, Jan." Steve confessed resigned the next morning after Tony had ran to his workshop while muttering something about never being enough coffee in the tower. "I tried to talk to him, but he kept making accusations that made me want to kick his ass into a far away universe even more than I had ever wished to do to another villain. Thank God that we were talking over the phone; I'm not sure I'd had been able to contain myself face to face."

"Steve, you should've kicked his ass, anyway! He's being completely unfair!" Jan yelled while pacing on the kitchen's floor, everyone had already left to their own business after breakfast. Steve knew she didn't really feel like beating his lover's best friend up was the answer, but her anger was genuine and Steve was glad he had someone like her support him. "You didn't deserve that! How dare he to think that you like Tony because it makes you look like a Good Samaritan!?"

"Wow, when you put it like that it's even worse." Steve affirmed while trying to suppress a flinch. "But there's nothing I can do. Tony told me to give it up."

Jan stopped her furious pacing around the coffee table in order to look at the blonde with a soft, understanding gaze. She had refused to sit before in favor of scuffing the floor with her heels as she stomped over it with more force than necessary; it was her way of showing how much the situation angered her.

Jan let her weight fall graciously on the seat next to Steve with a dramatic sigh. She took her formerly forgotten cup of cold coffee and took a small sip, grimacing at his now undesirable flavor.

"But you don't want to." It wasn't a question.

"No, I don't," Steve replied anyway with new found determination. "This is very important to Tony, even though he is denying it probably for the sake of not bothering me." He explained.

"Maybe he thinks that Rhodey will come around?" she asked hopefully stretching her tiny hand to take the one that Steve wasn't using to hold the cup of his coffee. It was then that the super soldier realized that his own cup had turned cold as well, so he put it on the table beside Jan's.

"He may say so, but I can assure you he thinks it's a lost cause." Steve sometimes thought that he preferred to fight a whole army of supervillains instead of trying to deal with someone that you can't just _make_ understand, worse if they didn't even _listened_ to you. If Tony ever found out that Steve sometimes thought that way, he would laugh at him before making bad jokes about the honorable Captain America wanting to kick ass rather than _talk_. And then he would tell Clint, just to have someone to make jokes whenever Tony wasn't around.

Yeah, he'd take those thoughts to the grave. Or at least nowhere near Charles Xavier… nor his creepy magnetic villain of a boyfriend. Just in case.

"Well, my friend, if you're that determined to talk to Rhodey and try to patch it up (or at least get a little revenge for what he said– just saying! No need to glare at me like that!), then we call the big cavalry."

"Do we even have a cavalry for these kinds of things?" Steve asked disbelievingly.

"Steven Rogers, I can't believe you're Tony Stark's lover and you can't think about the big, HUGE , cavalry!" she stated with somewhere between excitement and bemusement.

Steve didn't know what to make of that.

* * *

But then again, he felt very stupid for not thinking of the big cavalry.

Pretty huge, indeed.

"_Potts._" Was the dry reply after just the first ring.

"Um… Hi, Miss Potts, it's-"

_"Captain?"_ she asked right away, the tone changing noticeably from professional to concerned. _"What happened to Tony? Is he okay?"_

"Why his friends always think that something's wrong with him?" Steve asked with humor. He figured it would be best not lead this conversation anywhere near to a repetition of the call with Rhodes. But this time he wasn't nervous; this was Pepper. Pepper _liked_ Steve, didn't she?

_"Oh, so this is because of something he did."_ She stated confidently with a hint of resignation. _"What did he do?"_

"Nothing. He hasn't done anything out of normal lately, really." Steve defended his lover a little. It was true that Tony was a troublemaker, but he's always been able to find his own way out of every problem he caused, even when sometimes his solution was to self-destruct and it would cause more harm than good. Now that he thought about it, perhaps Pepper was a big reason why he was still alive and functioning.

_"Is that why you're calling me?"_ Pepper inquired doubtfully. _"Are you worried because he's_**not**_making any trouble?"_ a small pause. _"Okay, now I'm worried too. Did he lock himself in the workshop, again?"_

"No! It's nothing like that, I promise! It's not about Tony." At the disbelieving scoff over the other side of the line, Steve tried to elaborate. "Well, it _is _about Tony in some way-"

_"Obviously."_

"But it's more about Colonel Rhodes." He finished trying to ignore her implication. It seemed that out of office's duties Tony was rubbing a little on Pepper, or maybe this sarcasm came with her and was the reason they got along so well.

At her silence, Steve wished he could be face-to-face with Tony's right hand so he could gauge her expression, which was probably somewhere near astonished. "Miss Potts?" he asked tentatively.

He really should start to call Tony's friends more often.

_"I certainly wasn't expecting_that_."_ She admitted shortly after his call_. "And it's Pepper for you, Captain."_

"If that's the case, please call me Steve." He replied politely.

_"Of course,"_ she agreed "_what can I do for you then, Steve?"_

And here came the hard part "Um, were you– are you aware that the colonel, well, you know-"

_"You're asking me if I'm aware of Rhodey's hateful ways for you?"_ she guessed easily and it was obvious that she didn't need an answer to her own question that she didn't wait for him to reply, _"Of course I'm aware. Do you want to know why he feels that way?"_

"No, he stated that clearly enough himself." He murmured a little angrily. "I just want to know what would you suggest to be a good approach with him so he'd stop insulting me for an instant and start to actually listening to what I have to say. And of course I would be willing to listen to what he has to say in return." He added quickly.

_"Captain, Steve, Rhodey doesn't like you at all."_She clarified without cutting around the bush._"And it may not even be personal, you see. He's been protective of Tony since the day they met, but when the three-month-kidnapping happened, his protectiveness became_**over**_-protectiveness. I think he felt responsible because this was the first kidnapping that happened on his own watch."_

"Tony had been kidnapped before Afghanistan?" Steve asked tentatively. He didn't know about this, either. He should know about these things! First the mysterious rapist and now this; he was going to have a long, long talk with a probably resisting Tony about this.

_"Since he was a little boy, Captain."_Pepper confessed in a dark tone._"I suppose it's part of the price he had to pay for being so rich since the moment he was born."_

"That's just-" Steve had a hard time imagining Tony being tortured in those caves, but the image of a little Tony Stark being kidnapped as if it were a regular occurrence made him want to be sick. "How many times?"

_"Enough times to force Tony to make a strict non-ransom policy for SI .However, perhaps that's something that Tony should tell you himself," _Pepper decided, _"What we should be concerned about right now is the really short possibility of Rhodey quitting insulting you enough for you to be able to talk to him. But!"_ she added when she probably heard the disillusioned sigh that came from Steve's mouth. _"Rhodey's a truly rational man; it would be the only way you can keep up with Tony without wanting to or rather_**_trying_**_to kill him."_

"So what you're saying is… that all of us must be rational or Tony would be already dead?" asked Steve honestly confused. It did make sense in some twisted kind of way, but not enough for him to link it to the topic.

_"What I'm saying, Captain, is that I'm going to try to help you,"_ She corrected with amusement. _"Since I know that you're doing this for Tony, I'll call Rhodey personally and arrange some kind of meeting in a neutral zone. Sounds good?"_

"Really? Would you do that for me? I would really appreciate that." Steve thanked relieved that he was going to let this situation on very capable hands. For a moment, he understood plainly Tony's appreciation for the redhead.

_"For Tony, Captain."_ She clarified with a chuckle. _"But at this point I really don't see the difference."_

Steve blushed at the insinuation. "Thank you, anyway."

_"He really loves you, Steve."_ Her tone made a drastic change as she said that; she was serious. Death serious. _"He may be a little intense, but you're a very lucky guy for having someone like Tony to love you the way he does. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."_

A warm feeling filled Steve at those words coming from someone so close to Tony. "I wouldn't."

_"I'm probably being unfair in saying this since the possibilities of Tony's idiocy making an appearance are way higher than they should be and most of the times it creates an awful lot of misunderstandings to ignore; however I have to get it off my chest for the sake of my sanity. I hope you don't mind."_

"Um, no, not at all," Steve conceded curiously. "Go ahead."

_"If you hurt Tony, you won't live to see another day, Steve Rogers, I'll make sure of that."_

And Steve's mind went blank just for the voice alone. When he processed the words and stuttered for a response, Pepper had already hanged up on him.

Noted; when he thought that he had it easy with Tony's apparently normal friends with normal jobs, he wasn't really thinking of how _**not normal**_ Tony's real friends were.

Steve believed every single word out of Pepper's threat.

* * *

It didn't take long for Pepper to send him a short message with the date, time and place where he was expected. She didn't even write him to say if Rhodes was aware of the meeting or not, only to 'be punctual'.

After a few more rounds of Jan's advice and a lot of inner-meditating to increase his already unbelieving patience, Steve thought he was ready to face Rhodes. When he left the tower with intentions of taking a cab, he was surprised to find Happy waiting for him with Tony's business car behind him running and ready. Steve was suddenly nervous by the unexpected arrival of the ex-boxer; it could mean that he was about to be threatened by the chauffeur at the first opportunity.

"Hogan," he acknowledged with a small nod. "What are you doing here? Did Pepper ask you to come?"

"Captain, a pleasure as always." He complimented while offering his hand for a shake and Steve shook it gladly. Here was the last friend of Tony's who, the three together, meant a great part of the genius' world and he hadn't even tried to threaten Steve yet, which was always a plus.

Steve knew that 'Tony's whole world' was a little restricted; there was his friends, Jarvis, his creations –which included JARVIS, the bots and SI–, the Avengers and himself.

"Please call me Happy," Hogan asked politely, "And answering your question, Pepper didn't exactly send me; she told me about your conversation last night over dinner and I thought it would be a good idea to contribute a little to the little assault you three seem to have going on now better than later so you can get this over with, if you don't mind."

And there went Steve's gratefulness for the lack of hostility down the sewer. Apparently Tony knew how to pick friends, because these ones cared enough to threaten Captain America personally one by one. But Hogan was right; he really did want to get this friends-bullying phase over with.

Something must have shown on his face since Happy chuckled and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Nothing like Pepper and Rhodey, Captain, rest assured. It's simply not my style and I'm sure you're doomed to live through Jarvis' speech in the near future, and let me tell you something; British butlers can be quite scary. So my condolences and my most sincere sympathy."

Jarvis. Steve hadn't thought about Jarvis. Either of them.

The way things were going, he was probably condemned to be threatened by Dummy as well. Now that he thought about it, the robot probably did try in his own way when he first met him. Thank God that he passed that test with flying colors if Dummy's robotic affection was any indication.

But Jarvis and JARVIS were a whole different package.

"Don't sulk, Captain!" Happy asked with clear amusement.

"Captain America does not sulk." He said dryly. "Not now, not ever."

"That's exactly what the Boss said you always say when he tells you you're sulking!" the chauffer remarked with a laugh full of amazement. "But before we touch the subject, you should probably get in the car first. Rhodey will literally kill you if you are late. And let me tell you, Captain, America's biggest icon is not having a painfully death under my watch."

At first, Steve had been surprised that Tony had a friend like Happy when he first met him. The super soldier had thought that Hogan didn't look like the kind of civilian who would stick with Tony's eccentric ways in the long run.

Usually it was accredited to the superhero community to look at people, especially fellow superheroes, twice before forming an opinion on someone. It may be because, no matter how weird or unapproachable they seemed, anyone could become your partner in a battle or the next villain you were destined to defeat.

This quality, to try to look for someone for who he is without being deceived at first glance, was more of a rarity in a civilian. It was because of this that Steve could effortlessly see what Tony liked so much about Hogan. Even though Pepper started to go out with the man only a few months after their break-up.

Steve got in the copilot seat and Happy closed the door behind him. Steve thought he may have imagined the little pleased smile that flashed on the chauffer's face as he rounded the car to get on the pilot's seat. For what? Steve would never know.

"So," Happy began with what Steve assumed was going to be an awkward conversation. "I know that Pepper and Rhodey were a little unfair to you. Pepper admitted it herself,"

"Yeah, she said that to me as well." Steve confessed shrugging his shoulders.

"She did? That's so like Pepper." He responded dreamily. Steve saw then one of the things that Pepper possibly liked of Happy; if a simple thing like that could get him such a love-gaze, then he really must adore her. "Yes, I do love her a lot."

Steve didn't even try to stop the blush of utter embarrassment when he realized that he had said that out loud. Tony was rubbing more and more on him if he was starting to talk out loud without his permission. Not a good sign. "Sorry."

Another good-hearted laugh came from the driver's mouth."Don't worry, Captain, you should see the way the Boss looks when he talks about you." And before Steve thought that his blush couldn't get any deeper, Happy continued, "And let me tell you something, if someone knows everything about the Boss' conquests, that would be me, don't think Pepper knows everything about the Boss; I've drove enough times to his Malibu mansion way too early in the mornings with the specific instructions of going to take Boss', let's call them 'party friends', back home.

"To my initial surprise, I found that they were really scarce the girls that complained about the Boss' treatment; most of them were already dialing on their mobiles to brag about it the moment they'd get in the car, or they were just happy that they managed to get into Boss' drunken pants."

"That's…" Steve searched for the correct adjective. "Not nice."

"It wasn't nice from any of them, including the Boss." Happy agreed not taking his eyes from the road. "So imagine my surprise when the Boss, out of nowhere, told me how _adorable_ Captain America was when he blushed! Believe me, 'adorable' is not a word within a Stark's vocabulary if it's not accompanied with sarcasm. I was really shocked; I almost missed a red light.

"That's a funny story for another day, by the way." Happy concluded.

"I don't really need to hear that story…" Steve could die for embarrassment anytime now. "Ever."

"Your loss." Happy assured with a chuckle. "But that's the whole point, Captain, since the moment you two stopped fighting like a divorced couple, the Boss've been love sick. You should've felt the aura around him when you both were in your 'its-unrequited-love!' phase; he was a complete mess."

Steve knew it should feel weird to hear this kind of stuff from someone other than Tony himself, but he couldn't help the pleasant curling of his stomach at thinking that his genius has loved Steve for as long as he'd loved him.

"Captain, what I'm trying to say is this: yes, I'll hold a grudge on you if you ever hurt the Boss' feelings, but I've got more faith in you than anyone that has ever ridden this car with me before.

"I know you only want what's best for the Boss and I don't think there's anyone better suited to deal with him and keep him alive at the same time." Happy complimented while pointedly looking at the road. Steve couldn't stop the smile reaching his face at the words. He felt a little guilty for doubting Happy's honest and free spirit. "Pepper does think so too, by the way. She's just holding a grudge for what she calls 'Tony mopping over me for months while I had to deal with everything at the company at the same time!' stage when you were still fighting like five-year-olds. In reality, she'd blamed you for saying stuff that hurt the Boss at first, but she's over that, she can see how good you're for the Boss."

"Should you be telling me this?" Steve couldn't stop himself from asking. He did want to know, but these were Pepper's thoughts, nevertheless.

"Ah, don't worry about it," the chauffer dismissed with a pronounced wave of the hand closest to him. "I'll come clean with her today; I don't think she'd care, though. I really am just cutting you some slack, considering the fact that you're entering in a few minutes to a war zone and I'm personally taking you to it. Guilt makes you spill the beans, my friend!"

This time it was Steve who chuckled. He did feel way more at ease by the fact that he now knew that at least two of the list of people approved him, and he was confident enough to think that Jarvis did too if the satisfied smiles he threw his way everytime he physically forced Tony out of the workshop to make him eat something, sleep or both.

With JARVIS he had never had a problem before. So:

One more to go.

"We're here." Happy announced while he was pulling over in front of what looked like an extremely exclusive coffee shop. "This is Rhodey's favorite coffee place."

"But Pepper told me we were going to meet in a neutral zone." Steve complained at the disadvantage of not knowing the surroundings when there was a big chance that he would need a speedy retreat.

"This was probably the only agreement Pepper managed to force out of Rhodey." Tony's chauffer replied. "She did mention that he wasn't exactly… _thrilled_ by the idea of you two meeting."

"I noticed," Steve agreed easily. "But at least he's willing to talk; that's something."

"That's the spirit! Now go on ahead and if you need anything, just call me," Happy offered and Steve knew he was sincere. "I have to go and pick up the Boss, you see, but you've got my number."

"Thank you, Happy. Really."

"Anytime, Cap." And before he could step on the gas, he added; "Remember that you have to pass through the Boss' JARVIS and the lab's people's harassment as well!" without further words, he speeded up toward SI.

Steve felt the smirk taking over his face at the last comment.

At least he was one hundred percent sure that Dummy, You and Butterfingers _**loved**_ him.

* * *

Rhodes had sat on a table by the window. He hadn't waited for Steve to order, since he was already drinking his black coffee as if it was water. It somehow reminded Steve of Tony and not for the first time he questioned himself what those two have exactly lived through together.

"Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes" he greeted the moment he was at a decent hearing distance while extending his hand for a shake. He wasn't surprised when his unwilling host didn't take it.

"Captain Rogers," Rhodes said instead while gesturing at the chair opposite to him. "Please take a seat."

"Thank you for seeing me, colonel." Steve tried for the polite approach. "It means a lot."

"Yeah, about that, I want to know why it means that much to you. You feel good when someone attempts against your ego or something?"

Steve was grateful that he had been preparing himself for this. This time, it was actually pretty easy to ignore him. "It means a lot to Tony, so I thought it was worth at least another try." He answered honestly deciding to ignore the other's question.

"So you're doing this for Tony?"Rhodes asked skeptical.

"Well, it's surely not because of your big smile and kind words," Steve had actually copied that come-back from Tony for when he was mouthing off to Fury, but Rhodes didn't have to know that. "I just think that we started with the wrong foot and if we talk this out maybe we can find some common ground where at least we can tolerate each other for Tony's sake."

"Captain, let's get something clear," the moment those words left Rhodes lips, Steve knew he was due to long series of calming, just-don't-kill-him breaths. "I really didn't know Howard Stark; I was introduced to him by Tony once and I spotted him in a couple of events from afar. Let me tell you something, I didn't need to know him, or hear the guy out, or read about him on the newspapers or nothing to hate his guts; I only needed to know how Tony was doing his best to kill himself over impossible tasks while trying to make a father that wouldn't even bother to give his son the time of the day for something other than complaints and disappointment.

"When he died, I only went to the funeral because Tony was a wreck and he needed a shoulder to cry on. No matter how much he loved his father, I couldn't stop feeling resentment towards him. Even when dead." he stated stubbornly. "Long story short, no matter how much Tony is convinced that he's besotted with you or whatever, nothing's going to change the way I perceive you, Rogers. And I don't need to hear you out either. I'm doing this because Pepper asked me to."

"Colonel, I'm not asking you to change the way you see me," Steve offered trying to approach Rhodes from yet a different angle. "I just want you to, not even to support, but to accept our relationship for Tony's sake."

"Don't you dare to imply that I do anything without thinking of what's best for him." Rhodes threatened in a low voice. Steve decided to let him get it out of his system before he tried once more. "I just want to keep Tony safe, mostly from himself; and that includes _you_, Captain."

"And I don't doubt that, colonel, not at all," he conceded. "I don't know anyone more capable and willing –besides myself and probably Jarvis, of course–, to look out for him."

At this, Rhodes looked a little startled. For once, Steve noticed he didn't immediately find the words to throw him off, so he grabbed the opportunity and continued;

"I care about Tony," he stated with all the honesty that he could muster. This was something that Steve felt was completely necessary to get across the colonel's thick skull in order to proceed. "I care about him more than I should considering that I'm the leader of a superhero team whose main job is to keep the world safe and I should care equally for all my people, but I don't, and that's something I've come to terms with."

Steve allowed a short silence to let the Air Force soldier assimilate his words.

"Maybe that's why I'm trying so hard for you to approve us being together," at Rhodes poorly disguised confused expression, Steve elaborated, "Because I know what is to care for someone to the point of wanting to shield them even from themselves. It's even easier to understand you when it's the same person we're worrying about.

"See, I tried to put myself in your position and I came to the conclusion that it would drive me **nuts** just to _think_ about giving Tony up to someone I thought wasn't good enough; even if I knew he would still be there for me no matter what."

"Are you, Rogers?" Rhodes asked regaining his sharp tone. "Are you good enough?"

Steve thought about it, about all the flaws and even more qualities that his lover possessed compared to his own. He thought about the good Tony did for the people and never gave himself the credit that he deserved. About the way he struggled when Steve carried him forcefully out of the workshop for a well-deserved (and forced) rest. About the way Steve left food near the equipment he was currently using because it was the only way that he would subconsciously eat and how adorable he would look when realizing that some of his tools had been replaced for fruit. He thought about the way he tried to make him smile with his sarcastic humor when Steve had had nightmares or he'd been sad over something.

He thought about everything; every smile and tear, whisper and scream, caress and blow.

"No." he finally answered with sincerity. "I'm not."

The simplicity of it made Rhodes unable to hide his surprise. When he snapped out of it though, he seemed to have an intense internal battle judging by the way that the hand which wasn't holding his coffee was clenching and unclenching. The gesture reminded Steve so much of Tony that he _almost _couldn't repress a smile.

"Then, _why_?" Rhodes finally asked with a scowl. Steve understood right away what he meant.

"Because, colonel, even if I don't think I'm worth it, I'm not prepared to let Tony go without giving my best to be able to become what he deserves one day. I'm selfish that way." He stated seriously. "That's why– even if I owe you so much for taking care of him while I wasn't here and therefore made possible for me to meet him–, I won't give him up even if you don't approve of me, us.

"I promised Tony that I wouldn't let go, anyway."

At the thick silence that passed between them, Steve stubbornly didn't leave Rhodes eyes for even one second. He tried to read his expression, but the Colonel didn't show more than complete seriousness.

Steve wondered if Tony would be upset if they actually got into a physical fight, because Steve could almost _smell_ the hostility in the air. It's been a while since he wanted to take a defensive stance outside a battlefield.

Maybe Tony wouldn't be that pissed if he just dodged?

"Fine!" Rhodes almost yelled while slamming his cup of coffee rather forcefully on the table. Steve was too worried about the sound and the thinking of how was he going to get out of this without turning his lover's best friend into a bloody pulp, that he was slow to process the simple word coming from the now resigned colonel. "Fine, Rogers, fine!" he repeated as if to confirm it for Steve's slow brain.

Steve didn't know if he was more grateful that this didn't end with violence, or because the word being repeated again and again in Steve's head led to the possible scenarios of Tony's face and actions when he'd tell him later about it. Overall, he was glad that he'd tried to communicate with the stubborn air force colonel once more.

Naturally, Steve beamed, "Thank you, Colonel. You don't know how much this means t-"

"Hold your horses, Captain." Rhodes interrupted with the biggest scowl yet. "If what you're looking for is my approval of you and Tony as an item, then you're far from it."

_'Couldn't have been that easy, could it?'_ Steve's smile faded a bit when as his mind reproached him. Steve then wondered how it would've turned out if Howard was still alive and the super soldier was looking for _his_ approval instead. Just the thought of it made him wince.

"So let's call this _Probation_, shall we?" this time, Rhodes sounded more hesitant. Steve didn't mind the tone too much, so he lighted up again; that was more than what he thought he would get out of the meeting, anyway. He'd learned to appreciate the small victories. "Now stop wasting my time and go wherever superheroes-that-are-not-Tony go in their free time, Rogers."

"Thank you, colonel." Steve repeated while awkwardly standing up; his smile never faded, though. He offered his hand again, still knowing well that it wouldn't be shaken back and the Colonel didn't disappoint as he occupied his right hand to grab his cup of coffee and lead it to his lips instead. "I'd really like it if you'd someday call me Steve." He threw the comment while already turning his back on the table and started to make his way towards the entrance, just in time to hear the answer.

"Don't push your luck, Rogers." Steve turned back to offer a confident smile in response. Rhodes just shook his head as if regretting giving him a chance in the first place. When their eyes met again, the hostility was back on full power. "If you ever break, make unhappy or hurt him in any way, I'd recommend you to stay low for a long while, captain, 'cause all the Air Force will be tailing your ass to make sure you don't show up your face on the surface ever again, do you copy?"

Steve knew that this was somewhat an empty threat considering the competent port that this man carried. He wouldn't use his men for a personal matter, Steve was almost sure of it; if not for the words exchanged, then for Tony's obvious admiration for 'his Rhodey'. Even knowing this, Steve couldn't stop the small shiver that traveled down his back.

Competent, dangerous and alarmingly _**powerful**_ were just the top three characteristics that came to the top of Steve's head to describe Tony's friends. Not to mention incredibly overprotective.

And Steve had once upon a time wondered who had kept Tony alive before the Avengers.

In conclusion, even Captain America, hero of war, national icon, Boy Scout Magnificent (as Tony would call him), and proud leader of the greatest superhero team in all history could admit:

Tony Stark's friends were _**scary**_.

* * *

**Well, you _have_ to be scary to keep up with Tony's tendency to be troublesome, Steve!**

**That's it for now! Thank you for reading this far and I hope you liked it. All kinds of constructive criticism are welcome! **

**I really hope that the improvement was noted! If not, please do let me now!**


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